Germany and France agree to draw up roadmap on developing EU

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron listen to national anthems during a ceremony at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, May 15, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she and France’s new president, Emmanuel Macron, agreed on Monday to develop a medium-term roadmap on how to deepen European Union integration and make the euro zone more resilient against crises.

“Germany will only do well in the long-term if Europe does well and Europe will only do well if there is a strong France,” Merkel told a joint news conference with Macron, adding their governments would hold a meeting on key issues in July.

Merkel said that, from Germany’s viewpoint, it would be possible to change EU treaties, adding: “I would be ready to do this, but first we will work on what we want to reform.”